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come

1 come /ˈkʌm/ verb
comes; came /ˈkeɪm/ ; come; coming
1 come
/ˈkʌm/
verb
comes; came /ˈkeɪm/ ; come; coming
Britannica Dictionary definition of COME
[no object]
: to move toward someone or something
: to go or travel to a place
often used figuratively
see also come a long way (below)
of mail : to be delivered to a place
: to have or form an opinion, attitude, etc., after time passes followed by to + verb
: to do something specified followed by to + verb
always followed by an adverb or preposition : to reach a specified level, part, etc.
[linking verb] : to reach a specified state or condition
: to happen or occur
: to arrive or happen after time has passed
not used in progressive tenses of a product that is being sold
: to be available
: to have something as a feature, quality, ability, etc.
: to have a specified position or place in a series
British : to end a race or competition in a specified position
10 
somewhat old-fashioned
used in speech as a mild way to urge someone to do something or to become less upset, angry, etc.
used in speech as a mild way to show that you do not approve of or agree with what someone has said
11 
informal + impolite : to experience an orgasm

as…as they come

used to describe someone or something as very good, bad, etc.

come about

[phrasal verb]
: to happen
of a boat or ship : to turn to a different direction

come a cropper

see cropper

come across

[phrasal verb]
: to seem to have a particular quality or character : to make a particular impression
usually + as
: to be expressed to someone
come across (something or someone) : to meet or find (something or someone) by chance
informal : to pay money that someone wants or demands

come adrift

see adrift

come after

[phrasal verb]
come after (someone)
: to chase (someone) : to try to find or capture (someone you want to hurt or punish)

come again

informal
used to ask someone to repeat something that was not heard or understood clearly

come along

[phrasal verb]
: to go somewhere with someone
: to make progress : to get better or to proceed in a desired way
: to proceed in a specified way
: to happen or appear as someone or something that might be used, chosen, etc.

come a long way

: to rise to a much higher level of success : to become very successful
: to make a great amount of progress

come and go

used to talk about time that has passed
used to talk about people who appear and then leave as time passes

come apart

: to break into parts or pieces
often used figuratively

come around

[phrasal verb] or chiefly British come round
: to start to accept and support something (such as an idea) after opposing it : to stop opposing or disagreeing with something or someone
often + to
: to become conscious
: to go to visit someone
: to occur in the usual way as time passes
see also what goes around comes around at 1go
of a boat or ship : to turn to a different direction

come as

used to describe the effect that something has when people first learn about it

come at

[phrasal verb]
come at (someone)
: to move toward (someone) in a threatening or aggressive way
: to be directed at or toward (someone)
come at (something) : to begin to deal with or think about (something)

come away from

[phrasal verb]
come away from (something)
: to move away from (an area, place, etc.) often used figuratively

come back

[phrasal verb]
: to return to a place sometimes used figuratively
: to return to a former good condition : to become strong, successful, or effective again after a time of weakness, failure, etc.
: to become popular or fashionable again
: to be successful in a game, sport, etc., after being behind
: to return to someone's memory usually + to
: to make a reply or response usually + with
see also comeback

come between

[phrasal verb]
come between (people or groups)
: to cause disagreement between (people or groups)

come by

[phrasal verb]
: to make a visit to someone
come by (something) : to get or acquire (something)

come cheap

see 2cheap

come clean

see 1clean

come close

see 3close

come down

[phrasal verb]
: to move or fall downward
of rain, snow, etc. : to fall from the sky
: to go to a lower level
see also comedown
: to decide or say in an official or public way that you support or oppose someone or something
◊ An announcement or decision that comes down is an announcement or decision from someone who has power or authority.
◊ Something that comes down from the past is something that has existed for a very long time.
informal : to stop feeling the effect of an illegal drug : to stop being high on a drug

come down on

[phrasal verb]
come down on (someone) : to criticize or punish (someone)
come down on (something) : to make a strong effort to stop or oppose (something)

come down to

[phrasal verb]
come down to (something)
: to have (something) as the most important part

come down with

[phrasal verb]
come down with (an illness)
: to begin to have or suffer from (an illness)

come forward

[phrasal verb]
: to say openly or publicly that you are the person who should get something or who can do something

come from

[phrasal verb]
come from (something)
: to have (a specified origin or source)
used to describe a person's family
: to be the result of (something)
come from (a place) : to be from (a place): such as
of a person : to have been born or raised in (a place) : to live in (a place)
sometimes used figuratively
of a thing : to be produced in (a place)
come from (someone) : to be said or told by (someone)

come full circle

see full circle

come hell or high water

see hell

come home to

see 2home

come in

[phrasal verb]
: to arrive at a place
: to be received
: to end a race or competition in a specified position
: to have a particular role or function
◊ Something that comes in handy or (less commonly) comes in useful/helpful turns out to be useful when it is needed.

come in/into bloom

of a plant or come into flower
: to begin to produce flowers : to start to bloom

come in for

[phrasal verb]
come in for (something)
: to get or be given (something unpleasant, such as criticism) : to be subjected to (something)

come in from the cold

see 2cold

come in on

[phrasal verb]
come in on (something) informal
: to become involved in (something)

come into

[phrasal verb]
come into (something)
: to enter (a place)
: to get (something) as a possession
: to be involved in (something)

come into effect

see 1effect

come into your own

: to begin to have the kind of success that you are capable of having : to become very skillful, successful, etc.

come in/into view/sight

: to appear : to begin to be seen

come naturally

see naturally

come of

[phrasal verb]
come of (something)
: to be the result of (something)

come of age

see 1age

come off

[phrasal verb]
come off or come off (something) : to stop being attached to something
: to produce a desired result : to succeed
: to happen
: to do or perform well or badly
: to seem to have a specified quality or character usually + as
come off (something)
US : to have recently completed or recovered from (something)
: to have recently stopped using (an illegal drug)
US, informal used in phrases like where do you come off? to express anger or annoyance at what someone has said or done

come off it

informal
: to stop talking or acting in a foolish way usually used as an interjection

come on

[phrasal verb]
: to happen or progress as time passes
: to begin to happen
of an electrical machine, light, etc. : to begin to work or function
of a TV or radio program : to start
informal
used in speech to ask or urge someone to do something
used in speech to tell someone to hurry or to go faster
used in speech to express surprise, disbelief, etc.
: to have or seem to have a certain quality or nature

come on strong

: to be very forceful or too forceful in talking to someone or dealing with someone
: to become stronger or more successful in a continuing contest, race, etc.

come on to

[phrasal verb]
come on to (someone) informal : to show sexual interest in (someone) : to try to start a sexual relationship with (someone)
come on to (something) British : to start to talk about or deal with (something)

come out

[phrasal verb]
: to become available : to begin to be produced or sold
: to become obvious : to be clearly shown
: to become known
: to say something openly
: to say publicly that you support or oppose someone or something
: to say openly that you are a homosexual
: to appear after being hidden
: to appear in the open
of a flower : to open : to blossom
: to end or finish in a specified way
of a photograph : to produce a good picture
used to describe the quality that something has when it is finished
: to be said, expressed, or understood in a particular way

come out of

[phrasal verb]
come out of (something)
: to result from (something)
: to go through the experience of (something)
◊ To come out of nowhere is to be very surprising and unexpected or to become successful, popular, etc., in a very sudden and surprising way.
see also come out of left field at left field

come out with

[phrasal verb]
come out with (something)
: to say or express (something, such as an idea)
: to publish or produce (something that will be sold to the public)

come over

[phrasal verb]
: to make a social visit to someone
: to change from one side to the other in a disagreement, competition, etc. usually + to
British, informal : become
come over (someone) : to affect (someone) in a sudden and strong way

come round

see come around (above)

come through

[phrasal verb]
: to succeed in doing something : to do what is needed or expected
: to be received and understood
: to be expressed to someone
: to be given or made official in a formal and final way
come through (something) : to have the experience of living through (something)

come to

[phrasal verb]
: to become conscious
come to (something)
: to reach (a place) while traveling
: to reach (a particular point or step in a process)
: to approach or reach (a specified condition)
see also come to a bad end at 1end
: to result in (something) usually used in negative statements
: to make or reach (something, such as a decision or an agreement) after thinking or talking
◊ People say that they don't know what the world is coming to or they ask What is the world coming to? when they are shocked or disgusted by something that has happened in the world.
◊ The phrase when it comes to is used to identify the specific topic that is being talked about.
◊ The phrase if it comes to that means “if that is necessary.”
come to (an amount) : to produce (an amount) when added together
come to (someone) : to be thought of by (someone) : to occur to (someone)
◊ Something that is coming to you is something that is owed to you.
◊ If you get what's coming to you, you get the punishment that you deserve.
◊ If you have it coming (to you) you deserve to get something bad, such as punishment.

come to blows

see 3blow

come together

[phrasal verb]
: to join or meet
: to form a group
: to begin to work or proceed in the desired way

come to grief

see grief

come to grips with

see 2grip

come to life

see 1life

come to light

see 1light

come to mind

see 1mind

come to pass

formal + literary
: to happen

come to rest

see 2rest

come to terms

see 1term

come to think of it

used in speech to say that you have just remembered or thought of something

come to your senses

see 1sense

come true

see 1true

come under

[phrasal verb]
come under (something)
: to be subjected to (something)
: to be affected, controlled, or influenced by (something)
used to identify the group or category that something belongs to

come up

[phrasal verb]
: to move near to someone or something : to approach someone or something
: to be mentioned or thought of
: to occur in usually a sudden or unexpected way
of the sun or moon : to become visible in the sky : to rise
of a plant : to first appear above the ground
: to finish in a specified condition or state
: to move up in rank or status
◊ Something that is coming up will happen soon or will appear soon.

come up against

[phrasal verb]
come up against (something)
: to be stopped or slowed by (something)

come up empty

: to fail to get or find something or someone

come upon

[phrasal verb] somewhat formal
come upon (someone or something) : to meet or find (someone or something) by chance
come upon (someone) of a feeling : to affect (someone) suddenly

come up to

[phrasal verb]
come up to (something)
: to be as good as (something)

come up with

[phrasal verb]
come up with (something)
: to get or think of (something that is needed or wanted)

come what may

: regardless of what happens

easy come, easy go

see 2easy

first come, first served

see 2first

how come

see 1how

to come

: existing or arriving in the future
2 come /ˈkʌm/ noun
2 come
/ˈkʌm/
noun
Britannica Dictionary definition of COME
[noncount] impolite
: semen